Cold, clear Bald Mountain Pond in Northern Maine welcomes anglers, hunters, hikers, and paddlers from across the country. Anglers enjoy the remote fishing opportunity for wild brook trout that reach upwards of three pounds, and the Department now owns the boat launch that assures there will always be access to the pond.
Hikers on the Appalachian Trail skirt the far shore, threading through century-old forests, taking in views of Mount Katahdin, and bedding down for a night in the sturdy hikers’ shelter just a few steps from the pond’s banks. Many thru-hikers even call reaching this spot the highlight of their journey.
The timber companies that once owned the pond and the surrounding forest historically allowed recreational access to the area—but that arrangement was more of a tradition than a guarantee.
When a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity emerged to protect this extraordinary place, we teamed up with more than a dozen partners to permanently open access to this spectacular stretch of the Appalachian Trail. Now, a locked gate will never stop future visitors. The 2,620 acres surrounding Bald Mountain Pond’s rugged shoreline, and an iconic stretch of the Appalachian Trail, will remain protected from development and open to the public forever.
Tags:Applachian Trail[1]
